Mended
by SogniDoroBella
Summary: Once Upon a Kindergarten series, this is the sequel to "Stuck." Some feels here, but not too overwhelming. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my other fics. You're all such lovely people.


"Bags on the coat hooks," Granny called as the group tumbled through the entry hall after school. "Ruby Lucas, that especially means you."

Viktor had already put up his backpack, and he was crouched down next to Rum as they looked for the shiny rock that Rum had found at recess.

"Graaaaanny," the girl scowled, even as Belle was already reaching to hang Ruby's backpack on the hook next to hers. "Did you make cookies for us?"

"Porridge," the elder woman said sternly, even as all four kids giggled, knowing she would never make that for an after school snack. "Go on, wash your hands first!"

Ruby was already hauling Belle with her toward the kitchen. "Cookies and then hide and go seek!"

"Cookies and then _homework_, and don't you frown at me, young lady. And then hide and go seek," Granny hollered after them, following the boys toward the kitchen.

Belle washed quickly and then took her place at the kitchen table. They usually sat in the same spots, except when Ruby sometimes said it was Jefferson-style and would say '_move down! Move down!'_ and then everyone had to run to a new seat. Last time they did that, Belle had bumped into the table and chipped Rum's favorite cup.

"Belle?

She blinked in surprise and took the two cookies offered from Granny, along with the cup of milk.

"You alright?" the woman asked gently as she passed around the rest of the snacks.

Belle nodded and settled in for her treat while the others were busy talking about the rock Rum had found and how all a lot of other kids had tried to trade for it. He could've had lots of different things, but he'd refused all of them. It seemed funny, actually, that most of the things the other kids were offering to trade were things Rum already had lots of—stickers, toys, and candy—all of which the kids had traded him other things to get in the first place.

"You could bury it and make the other kids get maps and stuff, but make them trade for maps," Ruby suggested around a mouthful of cookie.

Rum shook his head and set the rock by his plate where it glittered in the afternoon sunshine. "I'm keeping it."

Snack was followed by clean up, then their homework. They never had much work and usually it was just reading once a week, but today was another one of those coloring pages. It was the kind that had a picture with the color words written in the empty space to color. Ruby hated those because she liked to color whatever colors she felt like using, not the ones it said to use. Rum hated them because he liked to draw his own pictures instead of ones that looked like everyone else's. Belle thought they were okay, but she never liked all the black writing that was still there even after coloring over it. It made it look messy. Viktor never seemed to care about it, but he was always happier when they could go do something else besides paper work.

It took a few protests from Rum and Ruby, and some scowling from Granny before everyone found some crayons and got busy. Usually Granny stayed in the kitchen to clean up snack (and make sure they actually _did_ their homework), but today she slipped into the extra room to the side for a while and rustled around.

Belle's paper was almost finished when she heard Granny clear her throat.

Their babysitter was standing in the doorway with a grinning Ruby. "Tomorrow you four are supposed to dress up like animals."

They all nodded. It was Teacher Appreciation week, and tomorrow they were going to be animals and had decorated a banner that said 'We'd be a zoo without you!' Ruby already planned to wear her wolf shirt and ears from Halloween. Viktor already said he wasn't wearing his whale shirt, but he refused to dress up further.

"Rum, this one's for you," she said, handing over a bundle of green.

He shook it out carefully, proudly holding up a hoodie with a zipper down the front. The hood and back had a ripple of green going down the middle, and around the hood was a line of white teeth, and an eye on either side of the hood.

"Crocodile works for you?" Granny asked with a smile before handing a big bag to Belle.

"Thanks, Granny," he answered, busy running a finger down the ripple.

Belle almost tumbled forward when she realized how heavy the bag was. Setting it on the ground, she pulled out first a bundle in a warm, almost tawny, yellow. It was another jacket with a zipper, hers in yellow with little rounded ears on top of the hoodie, a little collar suggesting a mane, and eyes on either side. On the left, front Granny had sewn on a pink heart.

"There you go, little lionheart," the woman said, giving Belle's shoulder a gentle pat. "There's more in there."

She took a moment to tug on her new hoodie, which was different from her old one, but she liked it. She liked it a lot, and it was big enough for her to grow into. Once it was on, she reached in and pulled out something soft and plush.

It was a soft doll, one with blue eyes and chestnut yarn hair and curled slightly. She was wearing the soft, familiar blue of Belle's old hooded jacket. "I love her," she whispered, hugging it close and rubbing her cheek against the soft, familiar fabric. For long moments, she hugged it before pulling it back again to study it, tracing a finger over the stitched smile and examining the little cloth hands a legs. "She's so pretty."

"She looks just like you!" Ruby exclaimed, rounding the table to reach her friend. She reached into the bag again and pulled out something else and set it in Belle's lap. "Granny made this, too. It's from your jacket, so you could keep it with you always. Like you'd have your mommy with you."

It was a pillow, using the rest of her old jacket. Down the front where her zipper used to be, there was now a band of wide red ribbon that matched the ribbon Belle used to have to pull the hood. In one corner Granny had embroidered a fancy "B." She hugged it and the doll close and rested her head against it. One little sniffle and tears slipped down her cheek.

"Don't cry, it's s'posed to make you happy!" Ruby protested.

Belle lifted up her face and gave a little smile. "I'm happy, really happy." She let Granny pull her into a warm hug. "Thank you, thank you so much."

"Always," Granny whispered, giving her another squeeze and running her thumbs under Belle's eyes to wipe back the moisture. "Next time a zipper gets stuck, leave it and bring it to me, alright?"

Belle nodded. "Promise."

"Good girl," Granny smiled. "Now you four tuck your homework in your backpacks. You have some playing to do."

Belle was glad, though she wasn't exactly sure why, that Granny didn't drag it out any longer. When she saw the pretty pillow her _missing mummy_ bubble had gotten big again, and it hurt. But maybe sometimes it was an okay hurt because it meant she remembered her mummy, too. "Can we play house instead of hide and go seek?" Belle asked her friends, cuddling her new doll close.

Rum's head started to shake, but when she glanced at him, he paused and ended up nodding. "Yeah."

"Last one there has to be the house keeper!" Ruby declared, leading the charge out of the kitchen as she snagged her paper on the way.

The boys quickly followed, and Belle gave Granny one last shy smile before racing after them.


End file.
